Sports
Pomp, As Delta Queens Win 2022 Sheros Cup
Soul-lifting musical lyrics in a joyous atmosphere prevailed inside the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, at the weekend, when the 2022 Sheroes Cup, a pre-season tournament, ended in grand style.
The final game of the competition witnessed by thousands of football enthusiasts, including Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) Technical Director, Austin Eguavoen, was a thrilling encounter featuring Edo Queens and Delta Queens, and was decided via penalties with Delta Queens taking the day 5-4.
Before the shootout, Edo Queens, who were on top of the table, controlled the greater part of the proceedings and looked more likely to triumph, but they could not make their superiority count in goals. The game had to be settled by a penalty shoot-out, which Delta proved to be the better markswoman.
Earlier, Nasarawa Amazons beat Confluence Queens 2-0 to clinch the bronze medal of the yearly competition organised and sponsored by Ratels Sports Development Foundation (RSDF).
Speaking on the competition, RSDF President, Paul Edeh, said the just concluded tournament surpassed previous editions.
Edeh, who is the proprietor of Naija Ratels, enjoined wealthy football enthusiasts to join him in uplifting women’s football in Nigeria by donating to its course.
“I am particularly impressed by the quality of play by the various clubs throughout the competition. Both the players and officials showed maturity and character, and that is how it is supposed to be.
“We implored the best of approaches in the organisation of the pre-season by ensuring that the best of match officials, including referees, officiated at the tournament and they really gave a good account of themselves,” he said.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.